The Pale in the Blue
by nelliesbones
Summary: When Seeley Booth is hurt, Temperance Brennan is there to take care of him... Old canon. Spoilerfree, warmhearted and M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

_I wrote this story some months ago, Hannah was still around, but ended up not publishing it. This is for all of you who miss the old canon – at least fanfiction-wise. It will be completed this weekend, I just have to go through the chapters one more time._

_I will continue my ongoing hiatus fic as well, I just need to reconnect with the Booth and Brennan I've loved and written for so long... and only them._

THE PALE IN THE BLUE

I.

Seeley Booth awoke at dawn. Mild violet twilight shone in through the half-closed blinds, and every inch of his skin felt as if it had been ripped from his body.

Maybe because it had been.

The sheets that covered him felt cool and exquisite, though, almost soothing the soreness.

He blinked once, twice, and when his dazed pupils could finally focus, they zoomed in on the woman lying next to him, and, almost against his will, a smile tugged at his chapped lips.

Temperance Brennan had never looked more splendid to him than in the fresh hours of this early morning. Her soft hair was splayed out on the pillow, framing her face almost like a halo – except that it was too dark to be a halo and too mussed to be nothing but real. Her full lips were slightly parted in slumber, and she rested on her fists like a child.

She looked so young, so cute, so innocent, and for the fraction of a moment he could almost forget the terrors she had witnessed in her life, the abysses she had been balancing on.

Warmth spread out in his insides, the sight of her so at peace easing the pain better than the strongest remedy.

He took her all in – from the translucent creaminess of her skin to the rosy flush on her cheeks and the curve of her long lashes. The bangs she used to wear after her time in Maluku had grown again, and these days she had to pin them back or they would fall into her eyes. Booth was irrationally glad for that – not that they hadn't looked good on her, but he didn't like it when something covered only an inch of her face. However, the darker color had remained, and the contrast of her tendrils to the pale blue sheets added a shade of vulnerability to her beauty that made his chest ache with something he couldn't quite name, but gratefulness was definitely part of it.

Gratefulness that he was alive, his heart beating, breath leaving his lungs.

If things had gone differently yesterday, and he had never gotten the chance to see her like this... Booth was sure that he wouldn't have made a very peaceful soul.

Looking at her for another minute, he decided that pale blue was a wonderful color for her. But then again, she could wear almost everything. The black dress she had sported as Roxy – even better than the scarlet red one because it had been more her, more _Temperance_ – or the white coat she had worn during that star-crossed night when she had crushed all his hopes. Or the emerald green dress which had stolen the confession from him that she was his standard. Always had been. Even the dark blue of her usual lab coat looked good on her. The color made her eyes stand out.

Booth sighed at the onslaught of images. However, today it was pale blue, and pale blue meant that he had survived. Pale blue stood for life, safety and her.

Her brow furrowed in sleep, and Booth raised his hand, lightly touching the hard lines in an attempt to ban her nightmare. A nightmare that was probably very similar to his own. After all, who could blame her after the events of the last days...


	2. Chapter 2

II.

"Sweetie, you have to calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down, Ange? Almost forty-eight hours, and still no sign from him."

Brennan twisted her hands, anxiety palpable in every stride she made through her office. Angela closed her eyes, running out of things to say.

"Maybe he just left for a while? You know, he wasn't his usual self after the break-up with Hannah. Maybe he just needed time for himself?"

Brennan almost snarled.

"Booth would never leave me like this. Never!"

Bumping into her desk, she took a seat on top of it.

"He promised," she whispered, angry wetness pooling in her eyes. He would never abandon her, never betray her. Not without a word. Even his departure to Afghanistan had been mostly her own fault, Brennan understood that now. "Besides, Ange, his place showed evidence of a fight."

"We don't know that for sure, Brenn. Maybe Booth just lost it and destroyed some things in his rage?"

Shaking her head vehemently, Brennan tried to form coherent words that would finally convince her best friend. The problem was that she couldn't argument with logic this time; it was merely her guts telling her that he was in danger, needed her help.

"Angela, trust me. Something is wrong. Very wrong. Something bad has happened to him. I _know_ it..."

Approaching her desperate friend, Angela reached out one tentative hand, touching Brennan's arm.

"Okay, if you're right... Forensics has torn the place apart. Turned everything upside down. If something has happened, they will find it out."

Opening her eyes, Brennan let the tears fall without shame.

"And what if it will be too late? Ange, I cannot lose him... Not again."

The artist sighed, drawing her friend into a warm hug which the latter didn't fight.

"Someone has taken him against his will, and now he's in pain. I can _feel_ it..."

"Oh, Sweetie, I don't wanna argue with your sixth sense, but you have to stay calm. You don't help Booth in any way if you panic."

Gripping Angela's arms, Brennan forced her to look into her eyes.

"We're running out of time. Booth is held capture somewhere. He is still alive, but he might not be anymore if we don't find anything soon."

Angela was taken aback by the intensity that radiated from her best friend. Never before had she seen Brennan so agitated, so relying on her feelings, not even during the case with the deceased doctor a few months ago that used to upset her so much.

"Okay, I believe you. But _what_ can we do?"

Brennan's determination puffed out, and she slumped her shoulders in defeat.

"I don't know. We can't do anything and we're running out of time. _He_ is..."

This was exactly what had made her flee to Indonesia more than a year ago. The fear that something might happen to Booth that she couldn't prevent. During her time away Brennan had made peace with her demons, had finally accepted things which were stronger than she was. When she had come back, she had been ready to change, willing to explore foreign ground.

Hannah had come in between. And then again, in a night when Brennan's world had been upside down and she had finally been ready to name her regrets.

Between then and now Brennan hadn't been able to bottle up her emotions anymore. The cork was out, and she was feeling. Pain, desperation, friendship... love. Everything.

Since things had ended between Booth and Hannah – silently, unspectacularly – Brennan could breathe again. Sure, Booth was grieving, and nothing had happened between the two of them so far, but they had been able to rebuild their friendship, regain the utmost faith and trust in each other that had always made their relationship so unique.

Now he was gone, and Temperance Brennan knew with certainty that it would break her beyond repair if she didn't get him back in one piece.

She needed Booth.

Their friends, and maybe even Booth himself, had known it for years, and now that Brennan had finally found the strength to admit it to herself, the pure clarity almost tore her apart.

The ringing of the phone cut into the silence, and Brennan jumped up to take the call.

"Brennan."

"Doctor Brennan, we have found something. An agent will pick you up in five."

-BONES-

"Something" turned out to be a smear of blood on Booth's carpet – almost invisible to human eyes, but they could tie the DNA of the sample to a murderer Booth had once put to jail. Or rather to a very close family member of the man who shared several alleles with the convict. This had led the FBI to the man's brother, who had his very own history of violence, and to a rundown old warehouse owned by the suspect.

Of course Brennan had refused to wait in the car, and with one glance into her feverish eyes the agent had simply nodded and thrown a bullet-proof vest in her direction. Everybody in the bureau knew about the partners' close relationship, and the agent felt pity for the annoying scientist lady. He had the highest respect for Seeley Booth, and although he had no clue how his coworker could stand the Jeffersonian people, he wouldn't be the one to force the famous doctor to stay helplessly in the car when her partner was in grave danger.

Oblivious to his musings, Brennan wrapped the vest around her body with shaken hands and followed the FBI agents inside. Their weapons were cocked, their postures tensed, and then the smell of gunpowder blurred with the noise of shots and the red of blood, but all that Brennan could see was Booth.

Booth.

Alive.

He was lying in a corner, his shirt ripped, angry red marks all over his torso. Excoriations and bruises covered his inked wrists where a rusty chain cut into his flesh. His face was a mask of agony, eyelids fluttering.

Within a heartbeat she was by his side, kneeling on the dusty floor.

"Booth..."

It was barely a whisper, but somehow he heard it, and his eyes found hers. Pain, so much pain, but then he recognized her, and a flicker of hope cleared his orbs.

Suddenly his chocolate brown irises meant the world to her, and in them Brennan found reassurance and proof of life.

"Oh, Booth... you're safe now..."

He tried to move and whined as the chains restrained him.

"Took you damn long, Bones."

Her unsteady hand cupped his dirty face oh so gently, but a smile made its way onto her face.

"Well, you know, I was busy in the lab with bone stuff."

Her smile faltered, and for a moment pure fear was visible in her features.

"I'm so glad we found you in time."

Leaning into her palm was all he could do.

"I knew you would."

Then there was turmoil around them, and Brennan was pushed aside while Booth was freed from his chains. Paramedics inserted a needle into his arm vein, probably hydration and a sedative, Brennan decided with a quick glance at the bottle.

Booth tolerated the first aid without a blink, and his gaze held hers like a lifeline. He had been tortured before. He had survived then, and he would survive now. As long as she was there, everything would be okay. He could cope with whiplashes and physical pain. He had suffered worse, and the gravest pain hadn't even been a physical one.

He was tied to a stretcher and lifted, taken away from her because she still stood frozen.

"Bones!"

His call startled her, setting her in motion, and soon she was by his side again, reaching for his hand. He took it thankfully, squeezing probably too hard, but she didn't protest.

Once more the paramedics tried to separate them, but Brennan just shook her head.

"I'm riding with you."

"Mam, I'm sorry, there is not enough room in the ambulance car."

"I don't care, I'm not leaving him alone." Never again.

Regarding her set jaw and her determined face, the paramedic shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

"It's against protocol."

"Do I look _as if I care_?"

Her eyes were glowing with blue fire as cold as ice, and Brennan knew that she had won when the other man broke the gaze. Booth chuckled beside her.

"Bones, don't scare the poor man away, I might need his help."

She turned around, and the ice vanished.

"Do you want me to go-"

"No," he interrupted her curtly. "Don't you dare leaving me, I hate hospitals."

-BONES-

The ride to the hospital was quiet except for the ambulance car horn. Booth drifted in and out of consciousness, as the effect of the painkillers kicked in. She was holding his hand firmly in hers, grazing his bruised knuckles every now and then. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her chest, and although he was battered and hurt, Brennan was positive that Booth would be fine again.

She simply _needed_ him to be fine again, and she knew with sudden clarity that there was nothing in this world that she wouldn't do to make him feel that way. Once – during the safety of a night when the hands of the clock had been moving slower – they had talked about Plato's soul mates. Human beings with two faces, four arms and four legs who were so powerful in their entirety that Zeus had split them in halves, dooming mankind to spent a whole existence struggling and searching for the other part.

Still, the concept sounded somehow ridiculous to her, but in this moment Brennan knew that if there was only a grain of truth in the tale that it was Booth for her. The one that complemented her. And she needed to make him whole as well.

Despite her protest Brennan wasn't allowed to follow him into the emergency room, and when the stretcher with her partner on it had disappeared behind the milky glassed door, she plopped onto a chair in the waiting room, burying her face in her hands, allowing the tears to flow.

By a hairbreadth...

Finally remembering that she wasn't the only one in worry, Brennan picked out her cell to send a message to Rebecca and Angela. She sensed that she should probably call them, tell the good news in person, but she didn't have any energy left. After forty-eight hours without sleep she was running on coffee and adrenaline alone, and now that the tension started to vanish, she felt overwhelmed with exhaustion.

"Family of Seeley Booth?"

Brennan jumped up immediately.

"That's me."

Part of her registered that some of the other agents had found their way into the waiting room as well, but she simply ignored them and the curious looks they gave her. In this hospital, she was his family, and not only in the "more than one kind of" way.

"What exactly is your relation to the patient, Miss...?"

The doctor looked up from the form in his hand.

"_Doctor_ Brennan. I'm his family."

Noticing the agony in the brunette woman's face, the man simply nodded.

"Fine. Mister Booth is seriously dehydrated, and we have to make sure that the flesh wounds won't infect, but there is no trauma to the bones. Considering the circumstances, I'd say he is in pretty good shape."

Brennan closed her eyes in relief and couldn't quite suppress the sob that escaped her chest.

"Can I see him?"

The doctor nodded another time, not the slightest bit interested in prolonging his counterpart's pain.

"He asked for you. Follow me, please."

"Thank you."

Her voice was candid, as she walked next to the doctor.

"No problem. Are you a colleague?"

"Forensic anthropologist."

Taking a closer look at her, the doctor thought that she seemed vaguely familiar. Maybe from one of the book covers his wife loved so much.

"Doctor Brennan, we still need your specific relation to Mr. Booth for our papers. I can't just write 'family'."

Brennan shrugged.

"Pick something, then. I don't care."

The monotone sterility of the hallways disappeared, as one familiar face came into view – the one that was dearer to her than everything else.

"Mister Booth, here is your _wife_," the doctor announced.

"_Wife_?"

Two heads flew around in synchrony, but the man just smiled.

"You said I should pick something, Doctor Brennan, and 'sister' felt wrong to me somehow."

He left with a chuckle, and Brennan was alone with Booth.

"Hello wife, then," Booth smirked, and Brennan blushed.

"He asked for your family, and I couldn't risk not getting information," she rationalized, glad that her mind provided her with the reasonable fact. "How are you feeling?"

"Quite fine."

Noticing her strict look, he gave her a lopsided smile.

"Okay, like crap. But nothing that won't heal."

Brennan reached for his file card and scanned the entries.

"They gave you antibiotics to prevent infections and a mild sedative to ease the pain. Nothing to worry. No fractures... Booth you were incredibly lucky."

"Didn't feel like that from my point of view," he tried to joke, but she silenced him with an earnest glance.

"You could have died," she whispered, and Booth searched for her hand again. Immediately, his body heat streamed into her, and she relaxed somehow.

"But I didn't, okay? You saved me."

"Booth, I did nothing. Nobody would believe me at first, and in the end it was your team and not mine that found the evidence."

Her eyes were wide and shimmering with unshed tears, as she revived her agony.

"I was so helpless. I _knew_ that something was wrong, but I couldn't do anything."

"You are here now," he said, and it was barely audible.

Their eyes locked, surrounding them with a spell that banned every other thought to a distant corner of their minds, and after a minute Booth cleared his throat.

"Speaking of which, how long do they want to keep me here? No way I will stay overnight."

"Booth," she protested, but he dismissed her.

"You said it yourself, Bones, nothing severe. I want to go home. Please..."

Finally, she nodded.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Promise, Bones," he pleaded with brown puppy eyes, and she almost melted.

"I promise that I will do what's best for you, Booth."

The disagreement between patient and doctor about what was best for Booth's welfare wasn't that much of a surprise, but in the end they could settle for a compromise: Booth would stay for the time of one more infusion, and afterwards he was free to go. At his own risk, of course, and under the condition that he wouldn't be alone that night. Without objections, Brennan accepted, listening carefully as the Doctor told her how to treat the wounds.

Three hours later Booth was transferred to a wheelchair, clad in his own dusty pants and a hospital gown that had to serve as a substitute for the ripped shirt. He who used to be so strong looked so vulnerable and fragile that Brennan felt a sharp tug at her heartstrings.

As she wheeled her partner through the hospital hallways, a small bag full of medicine and pudding in his lap, she refused to analyze and dissect the feeling. Everything would be okay. They would survive.


	3. Chapter 3

_We're not done for tonight._

III.

Brennan's apartment was peaceful and quiet, and when she opened the door for him, Booth closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The air smelled exquisite, fresh and like her. For forty-eight hours nothing but dirt and blood had hit his nostrils, and Booth took in the scent of her apartment as if it could cleanse him and erase the memories.

"Do you want to eat or drink something, Booth?"

Now that she was alone with her partner, Brennan felt agitated somehow, unsure what to do next.

He shook his head.

"No thanks, I'm still full, and I don't think my stomach can handle that much at once."

Brennan bowed her head. Sure, she knew that, but she was so desperate to do something for him, to help him somehow.

"I would like to shower very much."

"Yes, sure."

"I..." His voice faltered with insecurity. "I'm not convinced if I can do it alone, though. The wounds on my back shouldn't get that wet..."

Oh. _Oh_...

"Of course. I'll help you. Go ahead," she gestured in the direction of the master bathroom, "and I'll fetch everything we might need."

He nodded, grateful for her acceptance. Booth knew that he wasn't at his best, and it cost him a lot to let her witness his weakness. However, he didn't have a choice, and he trusted Brennan more than anybody else in this world.

When she entered her bathroom a few minutes later, Booth stood there in nothing more than his boxers, and she inhaled a sharp breath, as she saw the whole extension of his injuries for the first time.

Seven red streams covered his chest and back, the flesh ripped open.

"A whip, Bones," he whispered.

Tears were forming again, and she blinked them away.

"I'm so sorry, Booth."

He shrugged.

"Not your fault, and it will heal. He didn't break me."

Her eyes fell to his hands and the evidence of his struggle.

"We have to make sure that your wrists don't infect. The chain looked pretty rusty."

"I know."

Of course he knew, after all, it had been him who had been tied with it.

Taking a deep breath, Brennan began to unbutton her blouse, shyly turning her back to him. She heard him starting the water, and when she faced him again, she was bare except for chaste white panties and a matching top. Sometime in the last hours she had discarded the discomfort of her bra; she didn't even remember when exactly.

He looked at her just like she had looked at him, and after a while he nodded, stepping into the shower tentatively. Brennan followed him shortly after, a soft washcloth in her hand.

"Booth, you might be more comfortable if you remove your boxers as well."

"No," he cut her off, and she felt sudden fear gripping her heart.

"He didn't hurt you more, did he?"

"What? No! I just don't want to stand completely naked in front of you, Bones, I'm helpless enough as it is."

"Oh, Booth, there's no need to hide from me..."

He almost burned her with the intensity of his gaze.

"I know, Temperance. You're the only one allowed to see me like this, okay?"

Her eyes were big and baby blue, water drops getting caught in her dark lashes, falling to her cheeks almost like tears. Her white top and the panties clung wet to her body, leaving little to his imagination, and Booth swallowed hard.

Carefully, she applied antiseptic gel on the washcloth, rubbing the fabric in her palms until smooth lather had formed.

"I'll try to be gentle, but it might be painful."

"I'm a big, tough... Ouch!"

She flinched, as he cried out, his pain being her own.

"So sorry, Booth," she murmured, as she moved the cloth in careful circles over his battered body.

'Flesh wounds, flesh wounds.'

She repeated it like a mantra in her head, but the marks looked so violently on his golden skin that a lump formed in her throat. Her hands started to shake, and, eventually, she lost her grip on the cloth. The moment it hit the shower tub, her face was already in her hands to suppress the sobs.

She felt strong arms coming around her, and he tugged her face to his shoulder, letting her cry. Torn between the fear to hurt him and the desire to hug him as hard as possible, Brennan wrapped her arms around his uninjured midsection and pressed her face closer to his body. He smelled like hospital, soap and Booth.

"They didn't want to believe me, but I _knew_ that something was wrong."

"Good girl," he murmured.

"And I was positive that you were alive, but I didn't know for how long."

"How could you be so sure?"

'Because I know what it feels like,' she thought, and her mind traveled back in time.

The dire certainty that he was dead. As dead as any lost soul in limbo...

She had been there, had lived without his charming smile and any hope to see it ever again for two weeks. It had almost crushed her. Of course, she had been wrong about it back then; she had gotten him back, and, overwhelmed by emotions, she had punched him. Hard.

She wouldn't be that stupid a second time.

"Because never again will I accept the fact that you are dead without having seen your body. Until then, I would always believe that you are alive, and I wouldn't rest before I hadn't found you. I couldn't."

She spoke with honesty and pain that touched him deeply, and when he released her out of his arms, he had to fight hard against the urge to grab her again, to never let her go.

"I saw your face. All the while he tortured me, I tried to think about the beauty in this world. And I always came back to your face. Once you told me about your regrets, Bones, and I felt them, too. I regretted so much."

Now moisture was pooling in his eyes as well, and Brennan lifted herself onto her tiptoes to kiss it away. As he felt the warmth of her lips on his lids, Booth held his breath, his strong body almost trembling.

"I've got you, Booth. You're safe."

Ignoring the pain in his upper body, Booth reached out to her and crushed her wet form to his chest. She was slippery, but still so soft and warm. She was life.

They clung to each other until the water got significantly colder, marking the end of their shower. A last smile, a final squeeze, and Brennan disentangled herself from her partner, instantly mourning the contact.

Neither of them spoke, as she dried his torso carefully and renewed the gauze. When she was done, she placed a soft kiss between his shoulder blades, and he smiled weakly.

"Thanks, Bones. Uh... I don't have anything clean to wear."

Wordlessly, she handed him a pile, and, much to his astonishment, Booth recognized gray sweat pants and a shirt. He arched an eyebrow at her.

"They are exactly my size."

"I know."

Brennan hadn't been aware of her masochistic streak, but right after that night in the rain, when she had been forced to gather the fragments of herself and put them back together alone, Brennan had bought the clothes and stored them in her closet.

She had been too late, but she had wanted a reminder to never ever miss her chance again. It was bare of logic that she had chosen a pair of pants and a T-shirt in his size, but it had felt right that moment, and she hadn't scrutinized it.

Still, she was standing silently and dripping wet in front of him, her body shivering with cold. Booth traced the goosebumps on her lower arm with his forefinger.

"You have to get dry and dressed as well, Bones."

She nodded and turned around to give him some space.

Finally alone, Booth took some time to examine his wounds. They looked pretty nasty, and he was sure that some scars would remain, but Booth supposed that things could have ended way worse. He slipped into the clothes Bones had given to him. They seemed to be unworn, and he wondered about the reason behind them. Maybe it had something to do with the "new" Brennan.

In the last months Booth had found himself more and more entranced by his partner. He had always thought that she was breathtakingly wonderful and beyond amazing, but since the case with the famous doctor, Brennan had been a constant surprise. He had turned her down – something he had never thought he'd be capable of, but with Hannah in the picture there hadn't been another choice – and he had expected her retreat. But she hadn't fled.

Brennan had taken his rejection with grace, but she hadn't hidden her feelings again. Sometimes he could find her looking at him with affection that warmed every fiber of his being. He had known then that his relationship with Hannah had been doomed. Still, it had taken some more weeks for things to fall apart completely.

When Hannah had left him, Booth had lost something: his reason why he could not be with Bones, and he was scared to death to rely on his partner's feelings. What if she changed her mind again? He wasn't sure he could survive a strike like that another time. Therefore, he had been hesitant around her. They had made baby steps to get closer to each other again, and these days new comfort surrounded them, enriched by something else.

Possibilities.

Booth sighed. He was awfully tired and his body was throbbing with pain, but she hadn't mentioned their sleeping arrangements yet, and Booth didn't know what to do next. He dreaded being alone in the darkness of the night where the demons would undoubtedly come back to haunt him, but how could he ask her to sleep next to him? Which right did he have to expect something like that?

He went in search for his partner and found her in the kitchen. She was dry now, clad in nothing more than another set of panties and a top. Her legs were long and her feet bare. It seemed as if modesty wasn't a factor tonight.

Booth cleared his throat to get her attention, and she turned her head without interrupting her preparations.

"You must be exhausted, Booth. Why don't you go ahead, and I come as soon as I'm finished here?"

Her hand gestured in the direction of her bedroom, and Booth swallowed. He had his answer about the sleeping arrangements, and relief mixed with nervousness, as he made his way into her room.

Never before had he seen her bedroom, this place where she let go, surrendered herself to hopes and dreams. Long ago had he stopped taking into consideration that he might see it one day. Booth let his tired eyes roam over the room. It was classic and tasteful – it was like her. Her bed was big enough for two friends to sleep in, and the pale blue sheets looked soft and inviting.

With no strength to resist the call, Booth slid underneath the covers carefully, searching for a comfortable position. Lying back on the pillows, he found himself surrounded by her scent, and comfort mingled with something else, a deep stirring low in his belly.

People say it is perfectly normal to seek physical closeness and even sexual release after a life-threatening experience, but Boot chastised himself for the streak of arousal he felt. She was his friend, and she had already given him so much.

Meanwhile in the kitchen Brennan turned off the oven and poured the hot, rich fluid into a mug. It didn't even occur to her that she had sent Booth to her own bed without bringing up an alternative. She needed to be close to him tonight, and something inside of her told her that he felt just the same.

Padding into her room, Brennan switched off the lights in her apartment, the steamy beverage warming her hands.

"Here, Booth, take this."

She handed him the mug plus two pills, and he eyed her inquiringly.

"What's this?"

"Warm milk with honey. It is easy to digest but nutritious at the same time. Plus... my mother used to make it for me when I didn't feel well as a child. It's somehow," she shrugged her shoulders helplessly, "comforting, I suppose. But if you don't want it..."

Booth felt a rush of warmth as he got the meaning behind her intentions, and he thanked her with a smile.

"Thanks, Bones. For the drink, your comfort and everything else."

The milk was hot and sweet, running down his throat like pure balm, and he enjoyed the rich flavor, swallowing slowly.

Brennan observed him thoroughly, and the dark rings underneath his eyes stayed as unnoticed as his tensed posture.

"Are you uncomfortable, Booth?"

"Not really. It's just hard to find a position that doesn't hurt," he admitted.

She nodded sadly.

"The sedatives should help. You need to rest so that your body can heal."

Grabbing her hand, he whispered,

"You will stay with me tonight, won't you?"

He regarded her with big, insecure eyes, and she reassured him with a squeeze of her hand and a smile.

"I doubt that I could find a minute of peace somewhere else."

"Then come, please."

Placing the empty mug on her bedside table, Booth reached out his arm to her. Brennan switched off the last lamp before she slid under the covers next to him, immediately gravitating towards his warmth.

Again, she felt herself torn between the need to be close to him and the wish not to hurt him, so she settled for resting on her side – using his outstretched arm as a pillow – and facing him in the dim night light.

Her hand searched for his free one, intertwining their fingers. Connection.

"Were you afraid?" she finally found the courage to ask.

"Yes," he admitted after a while. "And angry that he could overpower me. Worried about you as well."

"About me?" she asked with wide eyes that he couldn't see.

"Yes. If you hadn't found me in time... I was so scared what it would do to you."

"We don't function very well without each other, do we?"

It was a simple truth, and she felt the movements as he nodded.

"Losing you, Booth... it would have been devastating."

"I know, Temperance, it's the same for me."

His confession came on a whisper, and she shifted a few inches closer to him until she could feel the heat of his body.

"We have changed in the last months."

Another truth.

"Yes, we have. And something tells me we're not at the end."

His hand let go of hers and sought her face in the darkness of the room, tracing its proud contours with infinite tenderness. He felt her leaning into his touch, and something inside of him softened.

"You're so precious to me..."

Her hand found his again, clasping it.

"Oh, Booth..."

He pulled her closer to his body until their foreheads touched. Feeling her sweet breath on his face, Booth wrapped his arm gently around her waist, caressing her lower back in slow circles.

"When you were gone, I thought about all the things I've never told you," she finally spoke. "How much you mean to me, how important and essential you are for my life... You know that I love you, don't you?"

She felt him suck in a breath, and he stayed silent for a while, only his hold on her tightened.

"I know, but... I never thought you'd find the strength to tell me."

She laughed ironically.

"Believe me, Booth, lately the hard part has been _not_ telling you. I'm not used to feeling that much..."

"You are different, Bones... and I'm still afraid that you might hide again, take it all back. If I let you in and you do so... it would destroy me."

She cringed at his brutal honesty.

"I know, and I'm so sorry for my past actions. I have learned my lesson, Booth. I love you, and regardless if you ever say the words back to me, I won't leave you again. I'm done with running, hiding and pretending. You're my standard as well, and I'm not afraid anymore."

She rubbed his stubbly cheek with her soft one.

"I just want you to know. I don't expect anything, Booth, I'm only glad that you are alive and here."

"There's no place in this world I'd rather be, Bones. And you _know_ that I love you as well."

He felt her smile against his shoulder, as every cell of her body vibrated with pure joy.

Bringing her arm around his neck, she ran her fingers through the soft hair on his nape.

"I never thought it would be like this," she finally confessed.

"What do you mean?"

"I always assumed it would be sexual at first and might lead to something more then. But I suppose you were right, maybe love really comes first and creates the reaction."

"Do you wish it was different?"

Brennan listened deep inside of her and found nothing but perfect rightness. Their honest affection was warming her, surrounding her, and it was so much more than everything she had ever felt before. It was real.

"No. It's perfect."

He drew her into his arms further, bringing their bodies flush against each other. Her legs tangled with his on their own volition, and she completed him like the other piece of the puzzle. With a content sigh Booth brushed his lips over her head.

"I feel the same. Having you in my arms like this is more than I dared to pray for this morning."

She brought her hand to his face, gently tracing his chapped lips.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little."

"Too much?"

Knowing what she was asking for, Booth smiled into her hair before cupping her chin and tilting her head. Her lips met his own in a gesture full of tenderness, and she kissed the corner of his mouth carefully.

It wasn't sexual, not even sensual, but it was a connection both of them longed for. It was barely a kiss, but it was a caress that made a promise, and when she released him a few moments later, she felt her heart beating wildly inside of her chest.

Brennan moved in his arms to put some space between them, eager not to add pressure to his sore skin, and he loosened his hold on her reluctantly.

"Sh, relax, Booth. I'm not retreating, I just don't want to hurt you."

She was right, and he couldn't argue with her logic.

"Bones, now I almost regret that we didn't do it the other way round."

Chuckling, she traced intimate patterns over his upper arms.

"Something tells me that the _reaction_ will be very powerful and worth waiting for."

He smiled some more, and eventually it turned into a heartfelt yawn.

"You should try to sleep now."

"You're not going anywhere?"

"Nowhere. I love you, Booth."

Her words were the last thing he noticed, and they carried him to sleep on soft and rustling wings.


	4. Chapter 4

IV.

The first sensation that invaded her sleep-clouded mind was the chirping of the early morning birds, followed by the certainty that she wasn't alone in her bed. For a second Brennan was confused, but then the events of the last days came back with full force. Booth!

Her eyes flew open, and she found him awake and looking at her. Before he had a chance to say anything, her palm jolted up to his brow. No fever. Brennan exhaled a breath of relief.

"Huh? What was that?"

"Just checking your temperature." She smiled at him. "Good morning."

He looked almost normal. Every sign of exhaustion had left his face, and his hair was a spiky mess, standing in every direction. Her eyes fell to his wrists, and it seemed as if they were less bruised and sore than yesterday. Very good.

"Good morning, Bones. Did I pass your examination?" he asked with the hint of a grin.

"So far so good, but I have to check your torso as well. How do you feel?"

"Better. It itches, though."

"That's a good sign, it means that the skin starts to heal. Let me see it."

He frowned.

"Can't we just lie here for another minute, please, before you get all medical on me, Bones? This is the first time I awoke next to you, and I want to enjoy it just a bit longer."

Her eyes softened, and she brought her palm to his cheek, stroking him gently.

"Sorry. How did you sleep?"

He shrugged adorably.

"Better than expected. Having you in my arms helped a lot."

He lowered his head, nuzzling her silky hair with his nose, inhaling her sweet scent.

"You're beautiful in pale blue sheets," he murmured into her ear.

She blushed which only heightened her cuteness factor.

"My hair is a mess, and I have sleep in my eyes."

He shook his head.

"Still, you've never looked more stunning than right now. Alone for that I'm more than thankful that I've survived."

He removed his nose out of her hair, and after a moment of silence, he searched for her mouth, greeting her with a soft good morning kiss.

His lips were rough on her smooth ones, but she didn't mind one iota because being kissed by Booth like this was heart-warming and sensual at the same time.

Very slowly he moved his mouth over hers, and eventually she parted her lips and met his velvety tongue. Her body remembered the sensation of kissing Booth, but this time it was different. This wasn't a stolen kiss but one that spoke of hope, that promised a future.

His kiss reduced her to a boneless puddle of heat, and when Brennan felt his hands on her back, caressing the skin underneath her top, her nerve-endings were tingling with excitement. Every cell of her being fell into him, and she lost herself in his soft mouth, his tender hands, his strong arms.

A sigh left her lips, and he swallowed it. Booth enjoyed her pliant response, the way she melted in his arms, and she soothed the soreness inside of him better than anything else ever could.

In this very moment, so intimately close to Brennan, Booth let go of the last shield around his heart and accepted everything she had to give. His chest expanded, and the love he felt for her exploded, filling him with light so dazzling.

When they parted, both of them were panting heavily, and he drew her closer into his arms.

"I love you," he whispered. "So much that it almost scares me."

Her hand rubbed the uninjured small of his back gently, and she felt moisture of happiness in her eyes.

"Don't be afraid, Booth," she reassured him, "I want it. I want it all."

He squeezed her tighter, and she showered his face with feather-light kisses.

"Bones," he hesitated, "would you mind closing the blinds? Let's ignore the world outside for a little bit longer."

With a smile she disentangled herself from her partner and patted on wobbly legs to the window. Granting herself a minute, she stretched languidly and let her eyes roam over the still empty streets. During these peaceful moments at dawn one could almost forget that there was so much injustice, so much evil in this world.

Booth observed her with shining eyes. Still, she wore only her panties and a top, and he could see every perfect curve of her delicate body. It pleased him deeply that she hadn't made an effort to cover herself. This morning she wasn't hiding anything.

Then the blinds were closed, and he blinked against the darkness. He heard her footfalls on the floor and felt the mattress shifting, as she crawled back to him.

When she spoke, her voice was very near to his ear.

"See? There is no world outside."

He smiled and reached for her.

"Thanks for giving this to me. It doesn't mean that I repress anything, it's just... I want to enjoy your peace just a little bit longer."

She placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I know what you mean, Booth. You want to sleep some more?"

"Na, I just wanna lie here with you for a while. You smell awfully good."

He heard her little laughter, and the sound of it went straight to his heart.

"May... may I touch you?"

"You mean?"

"Just touch you, feel you. Obviously, I'm not in the best physical shape, but... you are so warm and soft and beautiful..."

"Oh, Booth..."

Brennan felt so vulnerable and stronger than ever at the same time. How could that even be possible?

"You never have to ask permission for that, Booth. Never. And you are beautiful as well, no matter what shape you're in."

He shifted beside her, and then she was on her back with him next to her. Starting with her right hand, Booth traced the phalanges with his fingertip. Knuckles and dimples. Short nails. The dolphin ring she always wore. Traveling up her lower arm, he found soft hairs that straightened up under his touch, and he enjoyed the reaction. Her elbow was next, and he skimmed the rougher spot with lazy circles. Muscular upper arms, and then he met the firm curve of her shoulder, memorizing it.

Her arm. The one he wanted to be held with for the rest of his life.

The strap of her top interrupted his track, but only briefly. Collarbone and a soft valley that led him right to her pulse point. Taking a moment to enjoy the thumping of her heart underneath his fingers, Booth lowered his lips to the same spot, gently kissing her there where she was so vulnerable.

Brennan hummed in encouragement, and the little vibrations sent tingles to his lips. He followed the length of her neck to her ear, gently tugging at the thick lobe before switching to the other side, repeating the movement.

Then her face was under his fingers – the face he knew so well – and he traced the line of her eyebrows and her closed lids. They fluttered at his touch, and the tickling of her long lashes elicited a chuckle from him.

Her nose felt bigger than it looked, and when he met the softness of her lips, images of rose petals and velvet flickered through his mind. Recognizing a smile, he felt the same lightning up his own face. Her lips pursed, catching his fingertip with a kiss.

Unable to resist, Booth lowered his head to hers and replaced his finger with his mouth. She met him without hesitation, and once again the kiss took their breath away. When he released her a few sweet moments later, he repeated his patterns over her face with his lips, feeling again eyebrows, nose, high cheekbones.

Her face. The one that had stopped his nightmare. More than once.

Moving to the side of her head, his tongue flickered over her earlobe before tugging it into his mouth. This time he earned a moan from her, and Booth felt his blood rush southwards.

Taking a deep, calming breath, he resumed his exploration, and his fingers traveled down her throat to her cleavage. He stilled for a moment, unsure about her response, but, without saying anything, Brennan took his hand in hers, squeezing gently before moving it right to her breast.

Her breast. Full and firm and perfect.

He didn't know what he was doing to her with his tentative caresses, how much he had set her on fire, leaving a path of burning heat behind. All he knew was that he had never touched something more wonderful.

The soft globe of her breast filled his hand just right, and he felt her bud hardening against his palm. Using his thumb, he brushed the little peak, and she squirmed. Again, he lowered his head, resting it over the soft swell. Now he could hear her heartbeat, and as he nuzzled her with his face, inhaling her femininity, another image crossed his mind.

The scent of sweet milk, the sensation of a little head in his hand. A tiny human being with blue eyes and dark hair. Nursing and caregiving.

"Would it scare you if I said that I want you to have my baby? One day?" he asked barely audible.

He felt her sucking in a breath, heard her heart skipping a beat. Then she relaxed again.

"A little. But it pleases me as well," she whispered back.

It was natural to splay his hand over her flat belly, protectively and gently, and while his head stayed between her breasts, his fingers flew over her midsection. For the fraction of a moment Booth allowed himself to dream about her body heavy with his child.

"One day, Temperance."

"Yes."

Moving his hand underneath her top, he found nothing but flawless skin and the hollow of her navel. She laughed, and he lifted his head in surprise.

"Ticklish?"

"Hm-mm."

A smile tugged at his lips, and he filed the information away.

"Good to know."

"I suppose I'm not used to your touch yet."

"I'm working on that one."

She gasped when he closed his lips over her clothed breast, and the image of a pregnant belly disappeared again. The fabric was thin, but, nevertheless, he wanted to feel more of her.

"Would you mind removing that?" he asked, and once again she sensed a shade of insecurity in his voice.

Taking his face in her hands, she said firmly,

"One more time, Booth: You don't have to ask for permission. I want you to touch me."

"It's somehow too good to be true..."

"But it _is_ true. Get used to it."

Without further ado she raised her upper body and pulled her top over her head, simply throwing it out of the bed.

Booth was almost sorry that he couldn't see her, but feeling her in the darkness was so erotic, so sensual that it excited him beyond words.

His lips found her breast again, and this time he could taste her flavor, feel her completely. Grabbing the back of his head, Brennan tunneled her hands in his hair and held him tight to her chest. Every suction sent a stream of liquid heat to her core, ever flicker of his tongue made her greedy for more. She had to remind herself that he was injured, that she could impossibly get everything that she desired right now... but his body spoke a different language, and her own was answering.

"Oh my God, I think I'm addicted to this," he uttered between kisses, and almost on their own her legs opened a few inches.

Breathing heavily, he tore himself away from her chest, burying his face in her hair. Arousal was throbbing nearly painfully between his legs, and Booth inhaled deeply to calm the turmoil in his body.

'Touching. Feeling,' he brought himself back on track. However, there had been a flaw in his logic because he could impossibly touch her without being affected.

His palm ran down her waist until he met the cottony barrier of her panties at her hipbone. Neglecting this part of her for now, he brought himself into a sitting position to reach for her legs. Thighs so soft, so female. He grazed the sensitive inside with his fingernails, and she sighed. The delicate roundness of her knees. Her calves were stubbly to his touch, and she went rigid for a moment.

"Sorry, Booth, they're not as smooth as usual. Shaving wasn't on the forefront of my mind the last days."

Not that she could see it, but he shook his head at her absurd apology.

"I don't care one iota. You feel freaking perfect."

He spoke with nothing but honesty, and she relaxed again. 'No more hiding,' she reminded herself, not even under the disguise of satiny skin.

Moving to the end of the bed, Booth took her ankle in his hand, kneading the sole of her foot with just the right amount of pressure before tugging gently at her toes. He counted to five and moved to her other limp then, repeating his ministrations.

Brennan groaned with laziness. She had no idea how he could do it, arose and relax her at the same time. It felt so good that it should be forbidden.

When he was satisfied with the attention he had given her feet, Booth moved up again, this time tracing the other leg until he met cotton once more. No permission needed. She wanted this. Nevertheless, he stilled for a moment before his hand greeted her belly anew.

Resting on his side next to her, he brought his arm under her head and drew her tighter against his body.

Her breath came fast, and the sound of it sent a signal straight to his groins. Placing a soft kiss on her temple, Booth finally moved his hand under the hem of her panties. She gasped, and he cupped her mound with his palm. Short curls were caressing his skin, and he felt dampness dripping out of her. She was wet. For him!

Her legs widened, as he parted her folds with his finger, finding even more wetness and pure silk.

"Booth..."

Brennan felt somehow embarrassed, as he discovered how much she wanted him, but she couldn't prevent her body's reaction. She plain wanted him. Everything of him. He inserted one thick finger into her, and she whimpered.

"You alright, Babe? You still want this?" he whispered, and she nodded wildly.

"Yes, oh, yes."

"Good because I think that stopping right now would kill me. You feel incredibly."

"Stopping right now would most definitely kill you because I would do it," she stated, and he laughed at her typically blunt answer.

A second finger joined in the first, and she gasped again at the delicious feeling of his phalanges stretching her.

"Dancing phalanges," she murmured, and he smiled into her hair.

Pressure was building, as he slid in and out of her, filling her almost perfectly, and then his thumb found her hypersensitive bundle of nerves, grazing it lightly.

"Oh, Booth..."

He held her tighter, his fingers diving even deeper into her – so intimately, so shamelessly.

She buried her head in the crook of his neck, softly biting him, and he stroked and caressed her with new determination until he could feel the first tightening of her inner muscles that foreshadowed her eruption.

Pure contentment settled over him, as he sensed her lingering orgasm, the magnitude of what was about to happen marking the beginning of something new, something that promised to be big and everything.

Then she arched her back, and a rush of moisture covered his fingers, as fireworks exploded behind her eyelids. She moaned and gasped incoherently, and Booth held her safely, adding soft pressure to her hard-rock nub to prolong her ecstasy. Her breath was ragged, her forehead sweaty as he kissed it, and she heard a ringing inside of her head.

It was his frustrated groan which told her that the ringing was not only inside of her head but in her living room. Her phone.

"Noooo..."

"Ignore it, Booth. It's not important."

"Temperance Brennan not answering a call? That's a first."

"One of many today."

She pulled him closer to her body and met him for a fierce kiss. His fingers slid out of her with a last loving caress.

"Thank you, that was amazing."

She felt his smile against her lips.

"_You_ are amazing. I'm so in love with you..."

"Right back, Booth, right back. I think that was the most sensual experience of my life, and I haven't even touched you yet. Normally I'm not that passive-"

He cut her off with another kiss.

"Don't you dare telling me about your former sexual encounters. That book is closed, Bones."

"Don't worry, I think you've just rewritten it."

Eventually, the annoying ringing stopped, and she leaned closer to him again.

"Do you think I can touch you as well? I promise to be careful."

"I trust you not to hurt me."

She got the double entendre and wrapped him into a comforting embrace.

"Never, Booth."

Then the ringing started again, and this time it was accompanied by a vibrating noise and came from her nightstand. Her cell.

"No," he groaned, and she sighed, fishing for the phone.

"Brennan."

"Sweetie-"

"Angela, this is a bad point of time."

"I just wanted to know-"

"We are fine, but we're still shutting the world out which is quite hard when you continue calling."

"Can I do any-"

"Angela, I just had an orgasm, and I don't want to talk right now. Call back later. Much later."

She disconnected the line and switched off her cell. Booth was laughing hard next to her.

"Babe, you just gave her a field day."

"I don't know what that means. Do you," she gnawed her lower lip, suddenly hesitant, "do you mind that I told her? That was quite insensitive, I suppose."

He pulled her into his arms, and his abdominal muscles were bobbing with laughter.

"Not at all, tell the world. But I think you just did so."

"Where were we?" she smirked, but he stilled her hand.

"Would it be okay if we take another shower first? The gauze is scratching somehow, and you could check my wounds. I... I don't want to feel dirty when you touch me," he confessed, and his words melted her heart.

"Of course, my dear. But be sure that you aren't dirty. You smell, taste and feel just wonderful, Booth."

Nevertheless, she grabbed his hand and tugged him out of bed. Before they reached her door, she stopped him one more time, facing him in the dark room.

"Are you ready for the light?"

He enveloped her in his arms and held her for a moment.

"As long as you are there."

Both of them had to blink against the brightness in her bathroom, and then Booth's gaze fell to the woman next to him, and the breath whooshed out of his lungs. For the first time he saw her naked breasts, and he couldn't get enough of the creamy perfection. Noticing his stare, Brennan looked down at herself and erupted in giggles faced with her bare torso and her white panties.

"I feel like a teenager, Booth."

Not tearing his eyes away from her breasts, he answered,

"Well, you don't look like one. Thank God. You are so beautiful..."

"And so sexy in soaked white cotton panties."

He brought his lips to her ear and sucked the lobe into his mouth, his fingernail scratching along her jawline feather-lightly.

"Remembering what made them that wet is sexy as hell, Bones."

Grabbing the hem of his shirt, Brennan pulled it over his head carefully and removed the gauze that covered his injuries. For a moment the woman was replaced by the doctor, and Brennan was relieved to see that his torso looked remarkably better than yesterday.

"No infection," she murmured. "The wounds are dry, and the healing process has started. Very good."

Tilting her head, she looked up at him with shining eyes.

"You will be fine, Booth."

He captured her chin with thumb and forefinger.

"I already am."

Her smile matched his own, and they lost themselves in each other for a few heartbeats.

"Shower?"

"Yes. Ahem, give me a moment."

A quizzical look washed over her face, and then her eyes fell to his midsection and the prominent bulge there.

Oh...

"There is no need to be ashamed, you know? I assume I will see it at some point," she tried to reassure him.

"I know, and I want you to. It's just..." His eyes avoided hers. "I've always thought I would feel all male and strong then. Not battered and helpless."

Her hand captured his face, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"To me you are male and strong, Booth. I don't see any helplessness."

Releasing him, she brought her hands to the waistband of her own panties, pushing them down her legs until she stood naked in front of him.

One more time Booth had trouble to lift his gaze.

"More beauty," he whispered.

"Cotton panties, unshaven legs, and still you marvel about my beauty. Can't you just accept that I find you beautiful as well? No matter what you look like?"

He nodded in acceptance, finally lowering his sweatpants and, in doing so, revealing his manhood to her. Now it was her turn to gasp at the perfect sight of him so hard and throbbing. She raised her hand but stopped mid-track, as she remembered his words about feeling dirty.

Her eyes burned into his.

"I want to touch you so badly."

After a few moments of spellbound stare, she took his hand, leading him to the shower.

"Come on."

The water was soft, and this time it hurt less, as it hit his skin. Booth closed his eyes and sighed, as the warmth relieved the tension in his muscles. Washcloth and antiseptic gel made another appearance, and Brennan cleaned him expertly and affectionately.

Unwilling to keep the care one-sided this time, Booth reached for her shampoo and massaged her scalp until white lather formed. The scent of vanilla soared out of her wet hair, and Brennan almost purred. Smiling, he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose, and she wrinkled it at the unexpected touch. It was too cute for words.

When the froth was rinsed off their bodies, she opened her eyes again and found his brown orbs shining at her with deep-rooted affection.

"Marry me?"

She chuckled.

"Before or after I give birth to the baby you mentioned earlier?"

Joining in her soft laughter, he lowered his head until their brows touched.

"You're right, I sound crazy today. I think I'm just lightheaded with happiness."

"Nothing wrong with that." Her face got serious. "Booth... I promise you a future. You get that, right? We have our lives ahead of us."

"It still feels like a dream."

Without warning, she pinched him, and he protested sharply.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"You're not dreaming."

He laughed wholeheartedly and caught her in a strong hug.

"I love your logic."

Pressed to his frame like this, Brennan felt the swelling of his erection trapped between their bodies, and her fingers tingled with anticipation.

Freeing herself out of the circle of his arms, she brought her palms to his belly, enjoying the feeling of his well-shaped muscles underneath her fingers.

Searching his eyes one more time, she asked calmly,

"Are you clean now?"

He nodded slowly, understanding her question, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard against the lump in his throat.

"Good."

Lifting her head, Brennan kissed the dimple in his chin, as her hands slid lower until she could feel his heat. Meeting wiry curls, she circled his arousal and cupped his balls gently, measuring their weight. Booth closed his eyes, and his head fell to her shoulder, as he surrendered himself to her ministrations.

He jumped as her fingernails scratched his scrotum lightly, and then his head was back in the crook of her neck.

"Yes, yes, yes," he chanted.

Her hands traveled upwards again, and this time she didn't miss that part of his body which was aching for her the most. Using her fingertip, she traced the line of his shaft, from his firm base to the plump head and right back. He was velvet and steel underneath her fingers and so hot.

"Booth, you're beautiful... So male," she murmured.

His arms wrapped themselves around her waist, holding her as close as possible for her to still touch him.

She found drops of anticipation dripping out of him and used his own fluid to lubricate him before she wrapped both palms around his full length.

He moaned, and it was music to her ears.

Holding him in a tight grip, she pumped up and down, raining open-mouthed kisses all over his shoulder and his neck.

"Oh, yes..."

Brennan tried to restrain herself, to keep her touch controlled and steady, not to be overwhelmed by frenzies. She couldn't risk hurting him.

Caressing Booth so intimately caused wetness to pool between her own legs again, and she removed one hand from him and brought it to her core, gathering some of the fluid she found there.

He watched her with wide eyes, and caught her hand to bring it to his lips. A moan left her chest, as he sucked two fingers into his mouth, tasting her for the first time. She hadn't had that in mind, and his action made her weak with desire. His pulsating shaft grew impossibly harder in her hand, and she stroked him boldly.

When he released her hand, she crushed her lips to his, finding her own flavor in his mouth. Their tongues danced frantically, and her fingers disappeared between her legs anew. This time she brought them back to her other working hand, and when Booth felt her exquisite moisture on his own arousal, he lost it.

His hips buckled, and with a low growl he emptied himself into her hands. Without interrupting her rhythm, Brennan welcomed everything he had to give. She didn't release him until the throbbing subsided and he softened under her touch.

Still, his breath came ragged, and his fingers dug into her hips. Letting go of him, Brennan held her palms under the spray to wash off his seed before she folded herself completely around his trembling form.

"You're perfect, Booth, perfect."

"Thanks, Temperance... so, so much."

She smiled against his shoulder.

"My pleasure."

"What do you think... how long will it take until my body is whole again? At least whole _enough_?"

Brennan cast a glance at the red streams, and inside of her caution was struggling with desire. With a sigh of defeat she let caution win.

"I think we should give it at least a week, Booth."

He growled in desperation.

"That's awfully long."

Her hands moved lower, enjoying the firm muscles of his rear end.

"There are other ways, Booth. We just have to be careful."

"I love your brain."

She giggled.

"My brain loves you as well."

One more time a ringing dared to interrupt their post-orgasmic haze, and both of them protested in unison as they recognized the sound of her doorbell.

"Get dry, Booth. I'll check the door, and then I'll renew your gauze. Maybe you should take some more painkillers as well."

Brennan wrapped a towel around her hair and pulled a huge terrycloth robe over her wet form just as the bell rang a second time.

"I'm coming," she yelled, and then she was gone, leaving Booth behind in a state of pure blissfulness.

-BONES-

"Dad?"

Brennan regarded Max Keened with eyes wide open in shock.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

The older man kissed his daughter's cheek softly, ignoring her damp hair and the flushed skin.

"I just wanted to check on you and Booth. I assume the poor guy is here?"

"As a matter of fact, he is."

"I'm glad everything ended well. I," Max shrugged his shoulders, "I like the cocky bastard, losing him would have been pretty nasty."

Brennan frowned.

"'Nasty' is not among the words I'd chose, but thanks for your compassion. Why exactly are you here again?"

Pushing a styrofoam box into her hands, Max stated,

"I figured you could take care of his injuries and soul pretty well," her blush didn't go by unnoticed, "but might forget his stomach. I brought you soup."

"You brought us soup? That is so... so... unlike you."

Brennan was speechless.

"Yeah, I have a soft side as well. Don't tell anyone, Tempe."

With another kiss on her cheek he was gone, leaving a puzzled Brennan behind.

She recovered, as she heard footsteps coming out of the bathroom.

"Your dad brought us soup?"

"Yes. Isn't that weird?"

"Actually, I think it's pretty clever. I'm starving."

Turning around, Brennan let her eyes roam over Booth's broad chest. Despite the injuries it was still a pleasant view.

"Well, let's eat then. It's an unusual breakfast, but it's not on top of the list of unusual things which have already happened today."

The soup was deliciously hot, and Booth felt warmth spreading out from inside his stomach. They completed their meal with toast and water, and he was surprised to find out how normal it was to be with her like this. So much had changed in the past hours, but it felt simply right.

He poked her foot with his own under the table.

"Hey, there?"

Her eyes met his, but she didn't stop slurping the soup.

"Hm?"

He flashed her a beaming smile.

"This is pretty cool and not awkward at all."

The sun rose on her face.

"More than cool, Booth."

"Move in with me."

Unfortunately she had chosen that moment to take another spoonful of soup and coughed hardly.

"I add that one to the hasty baby and marriage plans you've already made today."

He pouted and mustered a mocked whiny expression.

"You think I'm not serious?"

She lowered her spoon and looked at him in earnest.

"I think you've been through a lot in the last days. Booth, I love you, and one day – when we're both ready – I will carry your baby. I'm pretty sure we will live together by then. And maybe you can even talk me into matrimony. With you the prospect doesn't seem so bad."

Booth looked at her as if she had just told him that Christmas, Easter and his birthday were on the same day this year.

"You are really considering it?"

"Of course I am. You asked me to, and," she shrugged her shoulders, "like I told you, I don't want to run anymore. I want to arrive. With you."

She bowed her head shyly until she felt his foot poking hers anew.

"Huh?"

"I'm crazy about you, Baby."

"Have you already taken the Vicodin?"

"Not yet."

She rolled her eyes in faked frustration.

"Oh my, I can't wait for _that_ effect to kick in."

He started to laugh, and Brennan watched this man sitting towards her with nothing but love.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"I love being silly with you."

"I love being with you."

"What do we do now?"

"Go back to the pale blue sheets that suit you so well? Ignore the world for some more hours?"

"You've developed a strong affinity for my sheets."

"I've developed a strong affinity for _you_."

Two empty bowls and two spoons were left behind in the mild midday light, as one FBI agent chased his squealing partner slash lover back into the sanctuary of her bedroom – and had they been more than inanimate objects, bowls and spoons might have rolled their eyes and murmured something about the beautiful silliness of love.

To be continued...

_Almost 3 am in my part of the world. More will come tomorrow. Like?_


	5. Chapter 5

V.

The sun rose seven times to find him in her arms, and seven nights did the stars sparkle, guarding their sleep. He was healing – and not only on the outside. Her presence, her utmost care and affection did more for him than countless doctors or psychologists ever could. Brennan stood by her word; she stood by him.

When he fell asleep in the night, usually her head was tucked under his chin, her arms cradling him. It seemed as if he was constantly touching her – skimming her slender waist, the underside of her full breasts, the soft skin on the insides of her thighs. As she had gotten used to his caresses, her ticklish giggles had subsided, and Booth felt a mutual sting of pleasure and disappointment – pleasure because she responded to his touch in a way that convinced him more than words how much she wanted it; disappointment because her noises had been too cute.

He was still on sick leave, but the red marks on his body had gotten lighter, their anger paled. Unwilling to leave him alone, Brennan had decided to take some days off as well – with her amount of holidays accumulated this shouldn't be a problem. Well, at least theoretically.

Twice the Jeffersonian had called her in, demanding her expertise. The first time she had been helpful but determined to make clear that she wasn't available at the moment; the second time she had been less polite and a lot plainer about her priorities. Brennan was positive that they wouldn't call her another time.

She and Booth had spent a lot of time getting to know each other. It seemed ridiculous considering how long they _did_ already know each other, but there was so much more to discover, so many things to learn.

He only snored when he slept on his back. She had developed a strange affection for reality TV. He used to hum in the shower. She applied hand cream on her feet as well. They both loved to whisper in the night before sleep overcame them.

And of course there were other things... As familiar as Booth and Brennan had always been with each other, they had never allowed sexual attraction to get the best of them. Now there was no need to hide that anymore, and even though they still kept things light for the sake of his injuries, they had gotten significantly closer to each other.

The scent of her breasts and the flavor of her arousal had become the most delicious things in the world for him. Booth was entranced by her throaty moans, her little whimpers, and whenever she exploded under his hands, he felt like the luckiest man on earth.

Brennan had discovered that she loved going down on him. Never having been a huge fan of that activity in the past, she felt nothing but pure gratefulness and joy when he was in her mouth. The velvety skin of his shaft under her tongue, the trust he showed her when his head fell back – eyes closed – in pure blissfulness.

One week ago someone had tried to steal him away from her, had threatened everything that was so precious and important to Brennan. Now she had more than ever. When she had made her decision not to regret anymore, when she had finally listened to the signals, she hadn't known how wonderful it could be.

How perfect he was for her, how much she could make him smile.

Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth were happy.

-BONES-

"Eh, Babe, is that really necessary? I'm fine. You can see that I am fine. And if you're not convinced, come here and take a closer look."

He tried to dazzle her with his trademark charming smile, but this time Brennan was resolved not to melt like ice in the sunshine. Arguing with him turned out to be quite difficult, though, when he was wearing nothing but jeans, his muscular chest bare to her eyes.

Covering her eyes with her palms in childlike stubbornness, Brennan shook her head vehemently.

"This time you won't wrap me around your little finger because I simply refuse to look at you. You know what the doctor has said and that this appointment is necessary. I don't understand why you are such a baby about it."

"A baby? I'm not a baby, Baby."

"Well, neither am I, nevertheless, you do continue calling me like one. This is the first time the term actually fits. You are whining and pouting like a baby. It's just a doctor's appointment, no torture. Which you have endured with more grace, I suppose. This doesn't make any sense, Booth."

He shrugged, but she couldn't see it.

"I hate hospitals, Bones..."

He almost got her. Almost.

"Booth, let's make a deal."

"A deal? You wanna promise me ice cream or something like that? I'm not interested."

"Well, I thought more about a vacation and sex."

His breath left his lungs on a sharp pant, and she dared removing her hands from her eyes.

"I'm positive the doctor will clear you today. Your skin has healed quite nicely, and there is no reason for us to be overly careful anymore. Let's leave town for a few days, maybe go to the sea. Just relax."

"The sea?" Insecurity washed over his handsome face. "I'm not sure if my body is ready for the beach yet."

She approached him quickly, placing her palms on his shoulders.

"Sorry, Booth... But I'm sure that it will be empty at this time of the year. We don't have to swim. Just take a walk, look at the ocean, spend time together."

His strong arms wrapped around her waist.

"And have sex?"

Brennan raised her head and drowned in his hazelnut brown depths. Passion and love were shining at her with intensity that made her head dizzy, and she had to capture his lips for a hot kiss.

"Yes," she finally husked. "I don't want to wait anymore, and once the doctor has cleared you, there is no reason for us to-"

He cut her off and dragged her to the door.

"Let's go and see the doctor."

She laughed at his sudden impatience.

"I'm glad you changed your mind, but I'd suggest a shirt and shoes."

Looking down at himself, Booth let go of her hand.

"Smart. While I get dressed, do you think you can pull some strings to find us a cozy little hut with sea view?"

"I'll see what I can do."

"Great, let's reap the fringe benefits of your fame, then."

-BONES-

"The fringe benefits of her fame" provided them with a secluded beach house in Ocean Pines, a little town on the East coast. Her publisher owned that house and used to sublet it during the summer months; now in late autumn it stood empty and the man was happy do to his bestselling author a favor.

The doctor's appointment turned out as expected, and Booth and Brennan lost no time packing a few bags full of clothes and groceries in the early afternoon. It was only a three-hours-drive, and they should make it way before dusk.

Booth insisted on driving, and after some weak protest, Brennan resigned herself to her fate and shifted on the passenger's seat to find a comfortable position. She was an excellent driver, but something about steering the big vehicle seemed to give Booth a kick for his masculinity, and with the wisdom of women Brennan decided to let him have this one.

When he had made it out of the crowded city streets, Booth relaxed, and his right hand found hers, clasping it.

"Thanks for this, Bones. I hope you don't mind that I asked you to call in a favor. It's not my style, and be sure that it won't become a habit."

She looked at him in puzzlement.

"Why should I care? It's only natural that you benefit from my success as well. As my... friend? Partner..." She interrupted herself, lost in thoughts for a moment. "Booth, what should I call you now? You are my friend and partner, but you are so much more. 'Boyfriend' sounds weird, though..."

"Fiancé?"

"Nice try. What am I for you?"

He kept silent for a few moments, casting her a sideways glance. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse and candid.

"You are my love, the woman I want to see first thing in the morning every single day. You are my sun, my light, my happiness. My girl, my woman, my Bones, my everything."

"Oh, Booth..."

Brennan seemed deeply touched by his words, and Booth was taken aback when she started to laugh a few seconds later.

"Hey, I'm baring my soul to you, and you think it is funny?"

"No," she gasped, "I just thought... hah-aha..." In an attempt to calm herself, Brennan cleared her throat and mustered a serious facial expression. "'Hello Miss Julian, this is Seeley Booth. He is my light.' Hah-aha..."

He grinned, and the sound of her laughter was pearling in the air like music.

"What about 'man', then? Nice, short, male."

She pondered it for a minute before finally nodding.

"Sounds reasonable. I think I can live with that."

"Of course 'husband' would be more expressive..."

He had to tease her one more time, but her laughter subsided.

"Again you mention marriage. Booth, you haven't even slept with me yet. Don't you want to wait until you know all the facts? Maybe I'm a disappointment for you..."

Arching his eyebrows, he turned to her for as long as he dared considering the fact that he was still driving.

"What? Bones, you could never ever be a disappointment, and most certainly not in _that_ area. Are you," he swallowed hard, "do you worry I might be?"

"No! No, of course not. Evidence says that this will be a very satisfying experience."

"Why are you concerned, then? Temperance, you've _been_ there the last week, you've seen what you can do to me."

She shrugged her shoulders helplessly and gnawed her lower lip.

"It's just... nobody has ever wanted me like that. Like you do."

"And as unbelievable as it is, I'm thankful for it. Less competition."

"Booth, there is no competition. You're it for me, you know that, right?"

He smiled.

"I begin to believe you. Please, trust me as well when I tell you that I want you. In every way."

Brennan shifted on her seat until she could look at him fully, resting her head on the cushions.

"Okay."

"You believe me, then?"

"Yes. And okay to the rest as well."

The car squiggled for a heartbeat.

"You want to marry me?"

"Eventually. Ask me again in a few months?"

"And every single day until then. Bones, I don't want to scare you, whenever it is too much, just tell me."

"No, I can adjust." She smiled wistfully. "Adjusting to 'too much' is a lot better than adjusting to nothing at all. And so much more fun."

She saw his face soften, as he remembered the night in the rain as well.

"Honey... I didn't have a choice back then. Hannah trusted me. Saying 'no' to you... it hurt so much."

"Booth, I'm so sorry. When it comes to you I think either too much or not enough. I had a very bad timing."

"Well, mine wasn't that much better. But all's well that ends well, right?"

She laughed breathlessly.

"This is not the end, Booth. This is the only the beginning."

He smiled.

"I love you, Temperance Brennan. Despite your bad timing and everything."

As always her heart ached a little at his words – but in a very, very good way.

-BONES-

She must have drifted off to sleep because when she opened her eyes the next time, Brennan could taste the salt of the ocean on her tongue. The distant rolling of the waves filled her ears, and she found out that the car noises had stopped.

Blinking the sleepy daze away, she turned to the smiling man next to her.

"Booth... we're there? Why didn't you wake me up?"

He lowered his head and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"We just arrived. And besides, you looked so peacefully. You're incredibly cute when you sleep. And so quiet," he teased.

She nudged him playfully.

"Well, thanks."

"Look, Bones. Isn't it lovely? I always feel so small and unimportant faced with the ocean."

Brennan let her eyes wander over the scenery in front of them. The soft hills of the dunes looked as if they were painted; their pale green complemented the mild ocher tone of the sand perfectly. Embedded between them was the ocean itself; a rolling and moving mass of green, azure and gray. The heavy scent of sea tang and salt enriched the air that filled their lungs.

It seemed as if Mother Nature had enfolded their beauty only for them to enjoy. The sky above them looked almost white, some lonely seagulls cutting into the clouds with their soft wings.

"It's beautiful, Booth," she whispered. "So mighty."

"Yes, beautiful," he agreed, but his eyes didn't leave her face for the fraction of a heartbeat.

After a minute of silent contemplation, Brennan turned to him again.

"Shall we?"

"We shall."

The little beach house was in walking distance from their private parking lot, and of course Booth only let her carry the lightest bag. Brennan didn't fight that hard, though, she had come to the realization that arguing with her partner about certain topics was futile. So she settled for enjoying the sand underneath her feet and the feeling of being cared for.

Their accommodation was tiny but neat. It was a single-floor building with just a living room, an adjoining kitchenette, a bathroom and one bedroom. It crossed Brennan's mind that her publisher had simply assumed that one bedroom would be fine, but for once she didn't mind. After all, the man had been right. She was a "one bedroom kind of woman" now.

The changes that had happened during the last week still overwhelmed her somehow, but Brennan had promised herself to never ever miss her chance again, and so she had taken her leap of faith. She couldn't have found a better man than Booth, this much was clear, even after barely a week.

He understood her on a more basic level than anybody else before had ever could. He pushed her whenever she needed to be pushed, he gave her space when she had to figure out things on her own, and he was there to catch her whenever she threatened to fall. Brennan trusted him with all her heart, and most of all... it was fun.

Being with Booth was so much fun.

And even the part of her that was scared the most had been astonished to find out that she seemed to have the same effect on him. Maybe her hesitation had been misplaced; maybe she really could be the one for him as well – the one to make him happy.

After he had carried their bags into the bedroom and stored the groceries in the fridge, Booth turned his attention back to his partner and found her deep in thoughts. A frown appeared on his forehead; she could still throw him off balance majorly when she got all silent and introverted.

"Hey, Baby, did I lose you?"

His voice startled her, but her face softened immediately.

"No, I'm here."

She regarded him with eyes so baby blue and open, and his momentary tension vanished at the meaning behind her words.

Closing the distance to her in two big steps, Booth gathered her in his arms and pulled her close. She was smiling up at him and raised herself onto her tiptoes until their noses touched. With a grin he tilted his head, and their lips met almost on their own.

After a week of kissing her – and seven years of dreaming about it – Booth knew the taste of her mouth just as well as the feeling of her tongue against his own. He had memorized those sensations a long time ago, filed them away in a part of his brain which would only abandon him long after he'd have forgotten his own name, but, still, kissing her had lost nothing of its magic. He doubted it ever could.

The soft noises she made, the perfect weight of her pliant body in his arms, the seductive dance of her tongue, the full curve of her lips against his own – it all blurred in the overwhelming wholeness that was kissing Brennan, and, as always, his heart opened just a tad more for her. If possible.

When they had to break apart, his forehead rested against hers, and he breathed her in.

"You're up for a pick-nick at the beach?" he finally asked.

"Yes, sure. Sandwiches?"

"And wine?"

"Sound like a perfect mix."

-BONES-

When they finally made it to the beach, it was six o' clock, and the wind carried by the ocean was already chilly. Brennan had wrapped herself into a thick woolen cardigan and a huge scarf. Simple jeans and bare feet completed her outfit, and Booth couldn't help but admire her natural beauty.

Her hair was open, her tendrils caressed by the salty sea gusts, dancing in the wind like an autumn tree's leaves. Her former bangs were pinned back, but the wind tugged at the strands and pushed them into her face. She tucked them behind her ears with her tiny hands, laughing breathlessly.

Wearing nothing more that jeans and a shirt, Booth could feel the cool air hitting his skin, but he didn't mind. His healing wounds were tingling at the sensation, but the distant pain only reminded him that he was alive.

Coming to a halt on mutual agreement, Booth lowered their plaid blanket to the sandy surface. He busied himself with unpacking their pick-nick, and when he finally raised his eyes again, he found her standing a few yards away at the waterline. His heart skipped a beat. Brennan and the beach were a surprising match; her silhouette perfected the sight of the ocean. Not that he was anywhere near objective, of course. Booth sighed and rolled his eyes. He was so madly in love with her that she would have looked stunning even in a dumpster, he was sure about that.

Lifting himself slowly, he went in her direction. His approach didn't startle her, and when he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, she leaned back against his solid chest, her hair caressing his face.

Brushing his lips over her temple, Booth simply held her for a while, content with the wordless connection. Her hand found his on her belly, squeezing gently.

"There are so many different colors in the ocean," she finally whispered.

"And I'm sure there is a scientific explanation for that, maybe something about sea tang, the light and the time of day. You don't wanna enlighten me?"

She just shook her head.

"No. There a things in this world that shouldn't be dissected, Booth. I like the emerald shade in the waves the most. What about you?"

"Pale blue," he whispered. "Right there, where the sky touches the surface of the ocean it all blurs into the palest blue ever. It's a color that can lift you to the horizon. If only you believe."

She turned around in his arms, and Booth found himself entranced by another kind of pale blue, as she looked at him.

"I love you, Booth. I'm so glad we're finally here."

"It's like I told you... it all happens eventually."

"All the good stuff, I know," she smiled.

He kissed her lightly.

"You wanna eat now?"

She nodded.

"Yes. Plus a glass of the wine you've talked about earlier."

They made it back to their blanket as mass of limbs and smiles and plopped into the sand. Immediately, his hand snaked around her waist and he rolled her under his body to collect a sweet kiss from her lips. And another one, this time deeper. She widened her legs to accommodate him, and her bare feet played with his own – warm, sunny and sandy.

Bracing on his elbow, Booth used his free hand to brush a few unruly strands of brown silkiness out of her face. Twisting it around his finger before tucking it behind her ear, he enjoyed the simple pleasure of playing with her hair. There was still a part inside of him that couldn't quite grasp that he was allowed to touch her now – and so he had to do it again and again as if to prove it to himself.

She did nothing but smile at him with warm eyes, and her hands caressed his back lightly. The grumbling of her stomach interrupted the closeness of the moment, and Booth chuckled as a flicker of embarrassment clouded her face.

Leaning in, he tickled her cheek with the tip of his nose until she giggled and squirmed underneath him.

"Let's feed you, Bones."

As he disentangled himself from her, Brennan braced her upper body on her underarms and watched him unwrapping the sandwiches. He handed one to her – she murmured a soft "thanks" – and turned his attention to the bottle of wine and their glasses. One more time she wondered how normal and easy it felt. Somehow intimacy had sneaked its way into their relationship, had settled between friendly care and partnership, and what should be awkward and unfamiliar felt nothing but right.

'Husband.' Brennan tested the word on her lips. It was too soon, even after seven years of everything and nothing, but the term had lost the bitter flavor of the archaic meaning she had always associated with it. Faced with the pale October ocean, after a week full of love and laughter, it tasted sweet and promising.

The wine glass dangling in front of her nose tore her out of her musings, and she accepted it thankfully. The glasses clanged as they touched, and a smile was his toast.

She tilted her head to take a first sip, and the rich taste of the wine exploded on her palatal. A content sigh left her lips.

"Good?"

"Yes. Try yourself."

She pointed at the untouched glass in his own hand, but instead he lowered his head to her and traced the shape of her mouth with his tongue. Finally, it slipped between her lips, seeking entrance, and warmth that had nothing to do with the wine spread out in her belly.

"Hmm. Very good, indeed."

Her cheeks were slightly flushed when he pulled away, and he grazed her bottom lip with his thumb, just because.

Her stomach chose that moment to interrupt them again with a low growl.

"Eat, Bones. Your body is interfering with my seduction plan."

Taking a hearty bite of her cucumber sandwich, Brennan chewed with relish. After swallowing it, she nipped at the wine again before turning her face to the equally eating man next to her.

"So you're planning to seduce me?"

"Hmm... maybe?"

"How would you do it?"

He took a while to ponder her question while he savored his sandwich.

"Okay, Bones, I'll tell you how I always imaged to do it before this mess came in between."

She gave him a brief nod of anticipation.

"I always thought I'd take you out for dinner first. You in a lovely dress... me undressing you with my eyes, picturing your soft, creamy skin underneath the expensive thing. Then I'd have asked you to dance with me... my cheek touching yours. You would have been perfect in my arms – just like during your High School reunion. Then I'd have taken you home, and maybe... maybe you'd have invited me in."

His words were full of candor, and sometime during his speech she had forgotten to eat. Her gaze fell to the sandwich in her lap.

"Do you regret the way it has happened instead?" she asked in a low tone.

He reached out to her, cupping her face with infinite tenderness.

"No."

She raised her head again, and found nothing but warmth and affection in his hazelnut orbs.

"There are a lot of 'woulds' in my scenario, and the reality of you is so much better than every dream. Besides, you are an extraordinary woman, and why should things between us start with a normal date? The important part is that things have started at all."

A cute smile flashed on her face.

"I've always imagined that we would argue, and suddenly, before I would have had the change to think, the heat between us would have shifted and you would have pinned me against a wall."

Her confession caught him off guard, and he had to cough.

"Do _you_ regret the way it has happened?"

She shook her head, and the tendrils flew around her face.

"No, never." Her nose wrinkled. "Apart from the fact that you have been hurt, of course. And besides, we are surrounded by a lot of walls every day."

Remembering her sandwich again, Brennan resumed eating, and Booth watched her silently. He was in a relationship with Temperance Brennan! The reality of it dazzled him briefly, and he shook his head to clear his mind. With a low sigh he stretched out on the blanket next to her, his eyes roaming over the rolling ocean one more time. He could feel his heart beating steadily in his chest, and the rhythm mingled with the rushing of the waves.

Booth inhaled deeply, savoring the rich sea-flavored air, and for once in his life no demons were haunting him, no past actions gnawing at his soul with a sense of guilt, no uncertain future bothering him. He had arrived, and a certainty that he hadn't felt since he had been a very little child or since he had held his baby boy for the first time washed over him – the rare feeling that just everything was perfect in his world, that he was at the right place to the very right time.

Shifting his head until he could see the woman sitting next to him, her chin resting on her knees, her dark hair shimmering with a hint of mahogany in the mild evening sun, Booth knew that his peace had nothing to do with this beautiful place but everything with her.

Sensing that her partner was staring at her, Brennan tilted her head and gave him a lazy smile. 'He looks good,' she thought. Relaxed and at ease. Seeing him like this was a rare treat, usually he was on alert, his muscles tensed, shoulders straightened. Right now his handsome face was free of worry lines and dark shadows. His fingers played with the stem of the wine glass absentmindedly, and he emanated calm and... happiness.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing. Isn't that wonderful?"

Understanding him fully, she nodded, and her hand reached out to lace with his own. He brushed her knuckles with his thumb before pulling her fingers to his mouth, kissing them. The sleeve of her cardigan had ridden up under the movement, and Booth noticed tiny goosebumps covering her milky skin. Rubbing his stubbly cheek against the exposed flesh, he tried to warm her up, but the caress evoked even more goosebumps.

"You cold?"

"A little," she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Alright. Let's pack up and go in, then."

They stowed the remains of their meal in his bag with no hurry, and Brennan tried to fold the blanket. It flapped like a sail in the blowing wind, and she completed the task with a breathless laughter on her lips. Once she had managed to wrap it into a neat little package, she turned to Booth again and found him looking at her with a bemused grin playing around his lips.

"Very graceful and too cute."

Sticking out her tongue at him, Brennan surprised him by racing towards the house. Losing no time, Booth chased after her. The sand made it surprisingly difficult, but he wasn't a Ranger for nothing and bet her easily.

As soon as he felt the wooden planks of their veranda underneath his bare feet, Booth dropped the bag and wrapped his arms around her waist, throwing her light weight over his shoulder. She squealed and slapped him with the blanket, but didn't hit hard.

He ignored her playful protest and carried her straight to their bedroom where he threw her onto the bed unceremoniously. Lifting her upper body, Brennan pushed her hair out of her face and eyed him curiously.

"So that's your clever seduction plan?"

"Ah, shut up."

Without further ado he crawled onto the mattress until he covered her body with his and their lips touched. She arched her back and locked her arms behind his neck to pull him closer, and soon everything was forgotten except for the sensation of his mouth on hers. The raspy tip of his tongue encouraged her lips to part, and with a silent moan she welcomed him. He tasted like ocean, wine and Booth – the flavor that she always found in his mouth and that reminded her of home.

His teeth were nibbling her lower lip oh so gently, and his hand tangled in her hair, fingers running through the softness of it. His other palm caressed her cheek in a gesture so full of tenderness that it made her week in her knees. Fortunately, she was already lying, so this wasn't a problem.

Her legs parted languorously and her feet stroked his calves, encouraging him to nestle even deeper between the cradle of her thighs. Leaving her lips, Booth tilted her head and peppered open-mouthed kisses along her jawline, licking the sea salt from her skin. His thumb rubbed that sensitive spot right behind her ear while his mouth traveled lower, lingering on her neck to suck the delicate skin there.

She moaned, and he felt the vibration against his lips.

Her own hands slipped under his shirt and roamed over his smooth and firm sides before tracing feathery patterns on the uneven skin of his back. He didn't jerk at her touch, and Brennan found the courage to follow the shape of his spine with her fingernails.

"Am I hurting you?"

He shook his head and nuzzled the crook of her neck with his face.

"No. You are making me feel."

The gentleness of his answer hit her with unexpected force, and she wrapped her arms tightly around his back. His full weight on her was almost too much, but she needed it for a moment to ground herself. The irony that she felt so free and safe while his heavy body was pinning her down, effectively immobilizing her, wasn't lost on her, but Brennan refused to scrutinize the emotion.

When breathing became an issue, Brennan loosened her iron-hard grip on him, and he supported some of his weight on his left elbow. His right hand brushed her face lovingly, and he asked her wordlessly if everything was okay.

She nodded with a bright shimmer in her eyes, and then her lips found his ear, playing with his lobe. He growled low in his throat when she closed her mouth around it, sucking the tender flesh into her damp warmth. His pelvis was moving on its own accord, grinding against her center with the sweetest friction, and inside of her a swarm of butterflies fluttered with dainty wings.

His hand stroked from her face to her cleavage, and with deft fingers he unbuttoned first her cardigan and then the shirt underneath until the fabric fell apart, revealing flawless skin and dark green lace. He circled the scattered freckles between her breasts with the tip of his finger, as if he was drawing a map of her body.

Her own impatient hands interrupted his reverence as she tugged at his shirt, and for a few seconds he was caught in a tunnel of cotton before they met each other skin to skin.

Brennan followed the shape of his scars – old and new ones – with one careful finger, and for a few seconds she was lost in her own exploration.

"Pretty bad, huh?"

His vulnerable words forced her to search for his eyes.

"Far from it. Warriors of the ancient time used to show their scars with pride because it was visible proof of their braveness. Booth, you are _so_ brave, and I'm dazzled by your strength. You are nothing but beautiful."

His face softened, and he thanked her with a warm smile.

"How come that you always seem to find the right words to comfort me?"

She shrugged underneath him.

"I know who you are, and your wellbeing is so important to me."

"Aw, if I didn't know better I'd say you're in love with me."

She frowned.

"I have told you repeatedly that I'm in love with you, so you do know better."

Chuckling, he dove in for a honeyed kiss.

"I was just fishing, Babe."

"Fishing? Booth, now you lost me."

"Well, what can I do to catch you again?"

Then his palm was on her chest, firmly kneading the soft swell through her bra, and every thought about fishing disappeared from her mind.

"Still, I don't know what that means," she murmured before he undid the front clasp of her bra and his warm lips were on her breasts. He sucked and licked her with just the right amount of pressure, and Brennan marveled how quickly he had learned her body's preferences and responses. His ministrations sent a rush of wetness directly to her lower belly, and in no time her breath was ragged.

"Booth..."

"Hm?"

"Yes..."

During the last week Booth had practiced his new-found methods to reduce his very eloquent, brilliant partner to a puddle of want and monosyllabic answers, and he enjoyed her primal reaction to his caresses more than anything else.

His tongue slid lower to lick the sensitive spot around her bellybutton, and when he met the buttons of her jeans, he placed his head on her flat midsection, his palm cupping her mound through the fabric. He felt heat radiating from her, and his own arousal soared to a higher level.

She ground against his hand without shame, and her wriggles made him throb with unleashed desire for her. Losing no time, he unzipped her jeans and dragged the garment down her long legs. His eyes raised to find hers, and for a moment – right before they crashed into each other with the force of light speed, before her hands were at his belt and his arms behind her back – they lost themselves in baby blue, chocolate brown and every single color in between.

Then everything blurred in a frenzy of passion, and both of them had no idea how it had happened – so fast, eventually, at last – but they were pressed to each other completely naked from head to toe. His arms under her head, her fingers in his hair, his leg between hers, her lips on his throat, his member twitching against her belly, her core dampening his thigh.

Their chests were flush against each other, and whenever his heart skipped a beat, her own stepped in, completing the rhythm. Her warmth was his own, and only the golden tone of his and the lighter shade of her skin gave away where his body ended and hers began.

They rolled around on the bed, kissing feverishly, utterly and hopelessly lost in each other.

Then it was time, and, finally, with a mutual nod of affirmation, he clasped her thigh with his hand, lifting it over his own hip and slid home.

Her breath was leaving her lips on a low whimper as he filled her so perfectly for the very first time, and he stilled on top of her. His soul was bare in his eyes, and she was speechless at the pure beauty she found there.

"Oh, God," he panted, his head falling to her shoulder.

"Yes, oh, fucking yes."

Her legs spread even further, and she wrapped herself around his body as tight as possible. He was buried deep inside of her, not moving yet, but pulsating with heat that warmed her from the inside out.

"Booth..."

Her voice was almost a sob, and he rocked her tenderly, showering her with soft endearments.

"Bones... Temperance..."

He cradled her for another sweet moment, giving her and himself time to grasp the magnitude of their connection. Then his pelvis lifted and he thrust deep into her.

"Yes.."

And again.

She gripped him like a velvet glove, so tight, so made for him, and moisture was pooling behind his eyelids.

"You're mine," he growled.

"Yes," she whispered, "oh yes."

Then he felt a distant pain in his hair roots, as she tugged at his head, searching for his gaze.

"But you're mine as well."

Dark desire mingled with pure emotions, as their eyes bore into each other, and her hands found his buttocks, pushing him into her harder.

A moan escaped his lips, and she drank it from him, as the muscles of his rear end tightened under her hands to stroke her again and again.

Her fingernails dug into his flesh, and he brought his arms under her shoulder blades to crush her to his body in an embrace so powerful that Brennan was afraid that she might shatter into a thousand pieces under his burning touch.

His was pumping in and out of her now, his movements erratic and out of control. The contrast of his ravenous passion and his tender kiss was almost her undone, and Brennan fought hard against the tension in her belly. She wasn't ready to fall yet, she needed more of this, more of him, more of them.

Leaving his mouth, she licked the sweaty pearls from his shoulder, enjoying the fresh, salty flavor of his skin. The scent of their lovemaking enriched the air, and when he lifted her thigh even higher, he hit her in the perfect spot, and her body froze.

Her eyes snapped open, and right then, when she tumbled over the edge, when her body convulsed in spasms so hard she had never experienced before, he found her and fell with her. The contractions of her inner muscles drew him tighter and tighter into an abyss so warm, so tempting that following her was the only sane thing to do – and with a loud howl he spilled himself into her until they both landed in velvet-like blackness...

It took some time before Booth could form a coherent thought again. His nerve-endings were still tingling in the aftermath, and Brennan clung to his body with everything she had. He brushed her lips with heart-crushing tenderness and whispered about love and hope and happiness. She smiled against his mouth, feeling cherished and safe.

They had done it.

Made love, crossed the line, broken the laws of physics. However, the earth was still turning, heaven hadn't fallen apart and the rough salt-breeze was cooling their sweaty bodies. When she finally looked at him – truly and really looked at him – he saw on her face the answers to every question he had ever had, the key to every riddle.

And in the dim evening light, he found the pale blue of the ocean in her eyes.

The End


End file.
